


Better Halves

by BuckinghamAlice



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Superman - All Media Types, Superman/Batman (Comics)
Genre: Engagement, Established Relationship, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Sex, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-23
Updated: 2014-09-23
Packaged: 2018-02-18 11:09:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2346272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BuckinghamAlice/pseuds/BuckinghamAlice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clark and Bruce share early morning cuddles and conversation.  The conversation takes a turn that surprises Clark.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Better Halves

Clark loved Sunday mornings. Maybe it was the fact that he was able to sleep in or the fact that he was able to get up and make waffles or chocolate chip pancakes if he wanted to. Maybe it was the lazy morning sex… or the fact that he got to do all of these things with Bruce.

But it hardly mattered either way. Right now he was happier than he could remember being in some time… in at least a week, for sure. Bruce seemed relaxed and content as well… and Clark couldn’t ask for more than that.

“Is it just me, or do we always have our best sex right here?” Clark asked lazily, smiling down at Bruce, who was currently between his legs. He was altogether too comfortable and happy in this position. The curtains were pulled back slightly, just enough to let in a little bit of the early morning sunshine, and Bruce had his arms folded on Clark’s stomach and his chin resting on them.

“Yeah,” Bruce agreed. “We really do.” Then, with a little smirk, he added, “Although, do you remember that one time on the top of the Barlow Building?”

“Oh my goodness, yes,” Clark replied. “That _was_ good.   _Really_ good.”

Bruce kissed Clark’s stomach before smiling up at him. “So we have our best sex in _your_ bedroom and when we’re sneaking around on rooftops.”

“I suppose so,” Clark replied softly with a little nod. He had very few complaints about his relationship with Bruce, and right now he couldn’t remember any of them anyways. “It’s always good though, isn’t it?” Clark asked. “I mean, for me it is.”

Bruce crawled up a little higher, so he could rest his head on Clark’s chest. “Better than good. Everything about us is better than good.”

“Hm, that was romantic,” Clark observed quietly. “Is that, like, code for ‘I love you’ or something?”

Bruce propped himself up on his elbows and narrowed his eyes (which were a stunning cobalt blue in that lighting) at Clark. “I don’t need a code to tell you that I love you.”

Clark smiled. “Good. Go ahead then.”

“Go ahead and what?” Bruce asked.

Shaking his head, Clark sighed. “Tell me you love me.”

“I just did,” Bruce shot back.

“You did _not_ ,” Clark insisted. “You announced that you _could_ tell me, but you never did.”

Bruce groaned and rolled his eyes. “Oh, for heaven’s sake.”

Clark grinned, wanting to see just how irritable Bruce would get. “I’m waiting.”

“You’re infuriating,” Bruce grumbled. “That’s what you are. Yet for some reason… I love you anyways.”

Clark ran his fingers through Bruce’s hair and he felt almost as if the dopey smile had been plastered on his face. “I love you, too.”

“Good. You better,” Bruce replied, creeping up a little higher. Clark bent his neck down a little so Bruce would be able to kiss him, and soon the man’s hands were holding his face, cradling it like he was too fragile to risk dropping.

“I better love you?” Clark asked.

Bruce nodded. “Mhm. Or else I’d have to stop sleeping with you.”

Clark snorted a little laugh. “And you’d hate to have to do that, wouldn’t you?”

Bruce smiled softly, but the expression didn’t stay on his face long. Soon he moved in for the kiss Clark had been expecting, his lips soft and smooth on Clark’s own. There was a little sigh, and for a minute Clark wasn’t sure if it came from Bruce or himself. Maybe it was both of them.

“For the record, I’m not planning on stopping loving you any time soon,” Clark replied softly, once they parted. “So we’re good.”

Bruce was still cradling Clark’s face and his eyes were still closed from the kiss. “Maybe even better than good.” He moved in for another kiss, and this one wasn’t as a brief or as sweet. Instinctively, Clark’s lips parted as he held tighter to Bruce, who immediately deepened the kiss. Heat spread through his body as he tried to get as close to Bruce as he possibly could in that moment.

“Yeah,” Clark replied, to nothing in particular, when they broke moments later.

“Yeah?” Bruce asked. “Did I ask you a question?”

Clark smiled. “I don’t know. You made me forget what we were even talking about.”

Bruce made a soft humming sound and stroked his thumb along Clark’s cheek. “You’re silly,” he replied. “And we were talking about being in love, I think.”

“Permanently in love,” Clark amended.

Bruce gave a little nod. “Right.” With him lying on Clark the way he was, it was easy for Clark to notice that his heart rate had just spiked a little… right around the time Clark used the word “permanent.” Given their history, it was hard not to jump to the conclusion that the word had scared Bruce as it once would have… but that seemed a bit unfair to Clark, since Bruce was the one to start talking like that in the first place. Clark felt himself frowning slightly.

“I…” Bruce began, his voice trailing off. Then he sighed softly. “Hey long arms, will you hand me my pants?”

Clark hesitated a moment. “Well… no. If I give you your pants, you’ll just put them back on…”

“Clark,” Bruce began warningly.

And now it was Clark’s turn to sigh. “Don’t you give me that tone. I mean, honestly Bruce, I thought we were past this.” Bruce’s brows knit together, so Clark sighed again, even more heavily, before adding, “I thought you had grown out of that unspeakable need to flee after we have sex… or especially after you accidentally open up to me a little bit too much.”

“That wasn’t an accident,” Bruce replied, a bit huffy.

“Then why are you panicking?” Clark demanded.

Bruce sighed. “I’m _not_ panicking. I just… need my pants.”

Clark frowned. “If you’re not panicking then why are you leaving?”

“Dammit, Clark,” Bruce grunted. “This is a bit insulting, you know. And I’m not going anywhere.” But instead of asking Clark to reach his pants again, Bruce leaned over and reached down to the floor, groped around a little, and grabbed the discarded garment for himself. He sat up and stuck his hand into his pants pocket. “It’s better than that. In a minute here, you’ll see why you’re so wrong and you’re going to eat your words.”

Clark rolled his eyes and watched as Bruce produced a little box from his pants pocket. It was lead lined, of course, but it was the size of a small jewelry box.

“I am so far from running away or panicking about admitting that I love you that I actually want…” Bruce began, before his voice trailed off. Clark noticed the sound of Bruce’s heartbeat speeding up again, and something about it made Clark’s own pulse quicken a little.

“Clark Kent, I do love you… so much,” Bruce began again. “More than I even knew was possible. And I know that my life is considerably better when you are at my side. And if you’ll let me, I’d like to spend the rest of my life attempting to deserve you.” He paused to take a deep breath before opening the little box and revealing a beautiful silver band with clusters of small, round diamonds in black and a brilliant shade of blue. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my husband?”

Clark felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room, but in a good way… if that was possible. Even in his wildest dreams he didn’t hear Bruce saying such words to him… but he was so happy to hear them. “I… oh, _this_ was why your heart started beating so fast! You’re right… this _was_ better.”

“That isn’t an answer,” Bruce replied softly. “Do you… do you need time to think about it, or…?”

Clark shook his head quickly. “I don’t need to think about it. Yes. I want to marry you.”

Bruce smiled. “Really?”

“Yes, really!” Clark replied, grinning. He held his hand out then, waiting for Bruce to try the ring on him.

Bruce gulped a little and delicately took the ring out of the box. He took Clark’s hand and slowly slipped the ring into place. It was a Cinderella-worthy perfect fit, and Clark grinned when he saw it shining on his finger. He had never really seen himself wearing an engagement ring, but now that it was on his finger, he couldn’t imagine any material thing being more precious to him. But he could only focus on that for so long, because the desire to kiss the little smile off of Bruce’s face was becoming overwhelming. He pulled the other man closer to him and muttered, “Come here, fiancé,” before pressing a fierce kiss to his lips.

Bruce gripped his hands a little tighter and sighed softly into the kiss. When they parted a moment later, he leaned his forehead against Clark’s and kept his eyes closed. “You really said yes.”

“I really did,” Clark replied softly. “I just can’t believe you really proposed.”

Bruce shrugged. “Honestly, I’ve been thinking about it for a while. Finally decided to propose over breakfast this morning… but _this_ felt right.”

“I’m glad you didn’t wait,” Clark said dreamily. “I’m glad you asked at all.” He stopped again to admire his ring and how it sparkled. “Y’know, Lois said I’d never pin you down, that you’d _never_ ask. But I knew there was an old romantic in you somewhere.”

Bruce seemed to ignore Clark’s comment all together and instead said, “I hope you like the ring. You’re not easy to shop for… but I hope it isn’t too much.”

“It’s perfect, Bruce,” Clark all but cooed. “I’m sure it _was_ too much… I’m not even going to _ask_ what it cost. But I love it.”

“I’m glad you love it. It was custom made, so returning it would be tricky,” Bruce replied easily. “And I’m not telling you how much it cost. You don’t need to know everything.”

Clark smiled and shook his head, but he didn’t respond. He glanced at the ring again, the beautiful little colored diamonds glistening like the stars, and sighed softly. Blue diamonds and black diamonds… it was just like the two of them. They worked so well together.

Glancing up again, Clark realized that the blue ones also reminded him of Bruce’s eyes in their color and shine. It couldn’t be more perfect.

“I love this ring and I love you,” Clark finally announced with some satisfaction. He beckoned Bruce closer with his finger. “And you love me.”

Bruce came close enough to kiss Clark, but instead he put his mouth by Clark’s ear and whispered, “You caught me.” At that, Clark pulled Bruce onto him and gave him a soft, slow kiss… the kind that could stretch on and on without going any further and it would still be satisfying. Now that they knew they had forever, why rush?

But eventually Bruce’s lips did make their way along Clark’s jaw, down his neck, and to his collarbone. Clark’s hands drifted up so his fingers could tangle in Bruce’s hair, and again he noticed his ring… this time with the early morning sunlight glinting off of it.

“I have to tell my parents,” Clark announced distractedly.

Bruce hummed. “About _this_?”

“That you’re making an honest man out of me,” Clark replied with a laugh. “But… oh… we have to come up with a story.”

“A _story_?” Bruce asked, pulling back slightly to look Clark in the eyes. “A story for what?”

Clark sighed. “Well, I mean, obviously we can’t tell people that we were naked in bed when you proposed to me in the midst of afterglow.”

“You’re not suggesting we lie to our friends and relatives, are you?” Bruce asked playfully. “Because I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I imagine everyone, including your parents, has pieced together that you aren’t so pure and innocent.”

Clark shook his head and laughed. “Jerk.” Then, after kissing Bruce’s forehead, he went on, “Still. It makes it sound as if all we ever do is have sex. No, we need some romantic story… with candlelight and mood music.”

“Or maybe I took you to a baseball game and had ‘Clark, will you marry me?’ come on the JumboTron,” Bruce suggested.

Clark grinned. “And the ring was baked into a cupcake or a dinner roll or something.”

Bruce’s hands found Clark’s (which were still practically buried in Bruce’s own hair) and gently caressed them. “Would you have rather I actually _did_ propose like that?”

“Not at all,” Clark replied. “I mean, an elaborate production would have been special, I suppose, but this was perfect. This was… _us_.”

Bruce gave Clark another kiss, his soft lips sending a shock throughout Clark’s body. When he pulled back slightly, he whispered, “I’m glad.”

Clark grinned and quickly moved to get the two of them resituated so they were side by side, and Bruce shifted his weight again so he was partly resting on Clark and his head was on Clark’s chest. With a playful little smile, Clark wrapped not only his arms but also his legs around Bruce, as best he could.

“You’re gonna marry me,” Bruce said quietly.

Clark gave him a little squeeze. “I sure am. This is going to be your life from now on.”

“And I volunteered for it,” Bruce replied, his tone light.

Clark snorted a little laugh. “You actually requested it.”

Bruce sighed softly and glanced up to Clark’s face. “And I’m not a bit sorry I did.”

**Author's Note:**

> For those who are curious, [this](http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h147/fairywasteland/writing%20references/Jareds-engagement-rings-for-men_zpsff39e4d4.jpg) is the ring.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Would you do me the honour?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11310525) by [TheRogueHuntress](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRogueHuntress/pseuds/TheRogueHuntress)




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